The federal government has said it was committed to ending security challenges in the South-East through a mix of law enforcement, intelligence, community engagement and economic development, with President Bola Tinubu personally driving inclusion for the region.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this in Umuahia, Abia State, during a press briefing after the South-East Regional Security Summit hosted by the Abia State Government in collaboration with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-East) and the Federal Ministry of Defence.
Idris told journalists that the summit brought together governors, security agencies, traditional rulers, youth and community leaders to find sustainable solutions to insecurity in the zone.
He said the strong turnout showed that security “requires the collective commitment of communities, leaders and citizens” and not government alone.
He noted that the Renewed Hope Agenda placed security within a broader framework of infrastructure renewal, social inclusion and economic empowerment.
“The message from the federal government is clear: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is committed to ensuring that every Nigerian, in every part of the country, has the right to live, work and pursue prosperity in a safe and secure environment,” he said.
On the perception of marginalisation of the South-East, the minister cited massive federal road projects across the region and the appointment of former Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, as Minister of Works to oversee them.
He said he had toured road projects in Enugu and Ebonyi last year with the President, saying, “We have never had it this good in terms of building of roads, which is critical infrastructure that connects cities,” he said.
Idris added that the President had also created fiscal headroom for states and engaged governors directly to address priority needs, pointing to the establishment of one of Nigeria’s first three world-class cancer centres in Enugu, and the plan to deliver 1,000 primary health care centres nationwide, as further proof that no region is being excluded.
On the agitation by IPOB and the case of Nnamdi Kanu, the minister declined to comment, saying the matter was subjudice.
However, he stressed that the government’s decision to hold the security summit in the South-East for the first time was itself a sign of commitment to dialogue and coordination with the region.
Boniface Okoro
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